Transportinfo.org.uk - today's transport news in the uk, hand picked for you each morning

Wednesday, 26 February 2020

BBC News

• Shropshire flooding: Train lines shut amid rising river levelsRail lines have closed and people have continued to evacuate as river levels continue to rise in Shropshire. Two severe "danger to life" flood warnings are in place for the River Severn at Shrewsbury and Ironbridge.
• Coronavirus: Chinese workers offered free transportPlanes, trains and buses are being put on to help Chinese workers quickly return to factories.

Financial Times

• Virgin Galactic shares cool off as losses widenRichard Branson’s space tourism group to accept deposits from general public
• Tier/e-scooters: ride at your own riskCompetition in the sector is as crowded as the cities catered for — expect consolidation

The Guardian

• Lie-flat beds in economy class: Air New Zealand unveils bunks for budget travellersAirline which operates some of world's longest flights is considering Skynest sleep pods with pillows, sheets and blankets Air New Zealand has announced it could have flat beds in economy for some of its long-haul flights, but it will be more than a year before customers could get the chance to sleep in one of the new pod beds.
• Lib Dems demand transparency over HS2 college Ofsted reportInstitution had sought judicial review to halt release of report that graded it ’inadequate’ The Liberal Democrats have written to the government to demand action after it emerged that a flagship college intended to train engineers for the HS2 project had taken legal action to cover up a damning Ofsted report into its failing.

The Scotsman

• Complaint made after passengers share ScotRail train with body recovered from tracksAn official complaint has been lodged after a ScotRail train carrying passengers was used to transport the body of a man found beside tracks, The Scotsman understands.

Times Online

• Drivers face more potholes as local councils wrestle with finance gap [Subscription]Spending on Scotland’s potholed roads has plummeted as councils struggle to plug a £53 million black hole, government figures have revealed.
• Crossrail 2: back £40bn line or face overcrowding, ministers told [Subscription]A new multibillion pound rail line running north-south through London should be given the green light to tackle overcrowding on the transport network, government advisers have said.
• Drivers of expensive cars are more dangerous to pedestrians [Subscription]If the cars you see in your rearview mirror tailgating you always seem to be flashy models, it is not coincidence. Owners of more expensive vehicles really are less considerate drivers, a study has found.

Mail Online

• Tory MPs write to Chancellor Rishi Sunak urging him to drop plans for fuel duty riseThe group of Tory MPs in 'Red Wall' seats said a rise that hits voters who backed the Tories for the first time in December's election would 'send the wrong message'.
• The smart motorway lane that was closed for 39 days over 2 years because of a string of breakdowns The M3 between Farnborough and the M25 had more than 2,200 incidents involving vehicles that failed to reach an emergency refuge area.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• HS2 'will win critics round'People in Staffordshire will eventually come round to the idea of HS2, according to the Conservative Party chair.
• Amanda Milling MP: HS2 will win Staffordshire critics roundPeople in Staffordshire will eventually come round to the idea of HS2, according to the Conservative Party chair.

Cambridge News

• London King's Cross Station will be completely closed this weekendNo train services will run to or from the busy London station

Doncaster Free Press

• South Yorkshire railway line which last carried passengers nearly 100 years ago could be reopenedA Yorkshire railway line last used by passengers nearly a century ago could be reopened if one MP’s campaign is successful.

East Anglian Daily Times

• End of the road for Ipswich northern bypass as cabinet agrees to pursue alternative measuresPlans for any further work on an Ipswich northern bypass have officially ceased, with work on a new task force to assess the town’s traffic now getting underway.

Other Regional Press

• How getting to London from Nuneaton Railway Station is getting easierIt should make getting to the capital easier
• Bicycle Mayor demands more after Coventry's cycle network plans are scaled backFunding for measures is lower than what the council originally envisaged

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Progress on accessibility as campaign launches to improve disabled passengers’ journeysTransport Secretary Grant Shapps is accelerating progress to make the UK a world leader for accessible travel as a new government campaign launches to improve the journeys of disabled passengers on public transport. The Department for Transport has launched the ’it’s everyone’s journey’ advertising campaign to highlight how we can all play a part in making public transport inclusive. The campaign is being supported by more than 100 partners, including First Group, WHSmith Travel and the Alzheimer’s Society. As 1 in 4 disabled people say the attitudes of other pa...
• HS2 college 'financially unsustainable' report findsA college for HS2 engineers that failed to attract enough students has been branded
• CEVA Logistics wins five-year contract with AirbusIn a further strengthening of its international aerospace business, CEVA Logistics is pleased to announce it has been awarded a five year contract to manage spare parts and components for Airbus at the aircraft manufacturer's site in Hamburg, Germany.  Effective February 2020, CEVA will become responsible for consolidating spare parts and components at the site from other locations across Europe, including Germany, France, Spain and the UK. Improvement Projects At the 21,000 sq metre facility, CEVA plans to implement more than 20 improvement projects to transform and improve the efficie...
• Heathrow targets zero carbon airport by mid-2030sHeathrow has announced it’s become one of the world’s first major aviation hubs to become carbon neutral, for its infrastructure, and the first to target zero carbon by the mid-2030s. Following investment of over £100 million in improving Heathrow’s energy efficiency and generating and purchasing renewable energy, Heathrow has reduced carbon emissions from airport buildings and infrastructure by 93% compared to 1990. The remaining 7% of airport infrastructure emissions – including those from heating – will now be offset through tree planting projects in Ind...

Rail Technology Magazine

• Equivalent of three million plastic bottles saved by Network Rail initiative Passengers that have passed through Network Rail’s biggest and busiest stations have contributed towards the saving of the equivalent of three million plastic bottles with the introduction of free drinking water fountains. The water foundation movement began back in 2018 and during last...
• Government campaign launched to increase inclusivity on public transport Today (Feb 25th) the Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has pressed ahead with a new government campaign to improve journeys for disabled passengers on public transport, in light of wanting to make the UK a world leader for accessible travel. The advertising campaign is titled ‘it’s...
• Bexleyheath line re-opens following £6.6m improvement work After four landslips in the last decade, the 9-day closure involved 200 engineers and around the clock work at 17 sits along the railway between Kidbrooke and Barnehurst. The line was closed over half term, in which time 2,500 tones of mud and trees were removed by engineers so they could reduce...

Other News Sources

• MP David Simmonds against Heathrow third runway expansionAn all-party parliamentary group will be aligning in opposition of plans for expansion of a third runway at Heathrow airport.
• Cycling myths debunked: What cyclists can and cannot do on the roads Can you cycle without decent brakes and what are the rules around big groups travelling together?
• London Underground's incredible extension to the Northern Line is nearly finishedThe new Tube station in Battersea is set to open next year
• Network Rail helps passengers to ditch three million plastic water bottles By installing drinking fountains at its stations as part of the Refill campaign, Network Rail has helped to mitigate the use of three million single-use plastic water bottles over the past two years.